The problem with natural gas

Can it be water friendly?

Great AP story on the Delaware River Watershed, part of the Marcellus shale bed, and natural gas drilling.

Without doubt, natural gas drilling can consume large amounts of water. Likewise, critics contend it might also lead to many other forms of pollution.

Proponents, however, claim that most natural gas is found far below the water tables, therefore, there is little risk to water supplies, outside of the large amounts of water needed to 'fracture' these shale beds to release the natural gas.

And the Delaware River Watershed debate is similar to many other debates raging in natural gas loaded areas. Hopefully, this leads to some quality science on this subject. Obviously, natural gas offers America a huge economic opportunity. However, if a major increase in natural gas drilling is a significant threat to water resources, potential will probably be limited.

A box ready to Bloom an energy revolution?

A hipper fuel cell

There are probably more reasons to doubt the prospects of the Bloom Box, essentially a revolutionary new take on fuel cells, but there are still a lot of reasons to believe it just might be the real deal.

While many have already buried the fuel cell, scientists around the world are rethinking everything about the fuel cell and making some very interesting breakthroughs along the way.

Whether it's using different fuels or cheaper materials, the fuel cell is proving to be a long way from retiring to the technological graveyard, and the Bloom Box might be the first major commercialized effort to usher in the fuel cell revolution.

Check out this 60 minutes video on the Bloom Box.

Investing in smart grid technology

Jim Cramer sees green in the smart grid

On Tuesday, Jim Cramer claimed that smart grid technology offers both consumers and utilities a way to save money. Sounds like a perfect green investment.

In the past, Cramer has liked Itron, which has performed very well since Cramer brought this stock up in October. While he still likes the stock, he didn't suggest buying at today's levels.

Today, Cramer also likes Cooper Industries (CBE) as a way to play smart grid technology. This will be a good recovery stock and it already derives 21 % of its revenues from utilities.

On the speculative side, Cramer also likes Televent GIT (TLVT), which is very similar to Itron.

New study slams algae as energy source

Not a green solution?

A new study by the University of Virginia claims that switchgrass, canola and even corn have "lower environmental lifecycle impacts than algae in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water regardless of cultivation location."

Another example that biofuels alone will never replace petroleum?

(GreenCarCongress)

Time to solar charge your golf cart

Keep your greens green!

If you're a big time golfer, or maybe you live in a community where your golf cart is a significant means of transportation, then its time to go green.

Helios offers some great solar-charging options for golf carts that can provide up to ten miles per day of clean solar power. Likewise, Helios's flexible solar panels can be placed on top of just about any golf cart about as easy as applying a sticker to your golf cart.

Check out more from Helios.

Cramer stays on natural gas bandwagon

Barnett Shale in Texas

Trick me once, shame on you. Trick me twice, shame on me.

Not long after Boone Pickens took on his natural gas campaign, CNBC financial guru, Jim Cramer, joined the cause. Several months later he backed off natural gas and called out Pickens to explain himself, which Pickens did on Cramer's Mad Money Show.

Months later, Cramer was again higher than ever on natural gas, a place he has now been for several months. In fact, Cramer believes the recent Total and Chesapeake Energy deal is just the beginning of action to come in the natural gas space as new drilling techniques make shale a paradigm shifter for US energy policy. (more)

Hey, if natural gas can reduce CO2 emissions and reduce foreign oil consumption - while guaranteeing the protection of water resources - then natural gas might be one of the greenest of investments out there.

Don't mess with corn

Corn helps fuel American politics

Not long ago CARB set in place the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), a standard that would significantly impact the use of much corn ethanol, not just in the California, but in the US.

Now, the research on corn ethanol has often been contradictory, but there has been plenty of independent, objective research that has produced some very unpleasant findings with corn ethanol and its impact on the environment.

Nonetheless, many have embraced corn ethanol as a path to cellulosic ethanol, an approach with some merit. Still, cellulosic ethanol cannot be an excuse for increased corn ethanol, especially ethanol with little benefit to the environment. Ultimately, if ethanol cannot move beyond corn, its time to start thinking beyond ethanol.

Can California, however, take such a stance? The courts are now going to decide that if two ethanol lobbying groups have their way (more).

Natural gas to become #1 electricity source

Can also power cars directly or indirectly

Could natural gas become the primary source of electricity production?

Yes, according to Leonardo Maugeri, senior executive vice president of Eni S.p.A, a leading energy company and a founding member of the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI).

In addition to electricity and plug-in vehicles, natural gas can also power conventional vehicles, as well as hybrid cars.

Natural gas the next big green investment?

Power your home and your car

In Copenhagen, there was much debate between the US, other modern countries and China, India and Africa. Essentially, these emerging countries believe that the US, etc. should do much more immediately to reduce CO2 emissions as the world works towards a common, world-wide standard.

With natural gas inventories growing by the minute, many are starting to believe that natural gas can be the CO2 fix for such aggressive, short term reductions - without any detrimental effects on the US economy.

Moreover, natural gas is now a domestic resource with burgeoning supplies. So, in addition to meeting high CO2 reduction expectations, natural gas also helps tame foreign oil dependence, while providing extra jobs and income in the US.

Sounds like a perfect green investment to me, as long as water resources can be protected from gas drilling.

Renewed interest in green investments in 2010

Some green in lithium-ion?

A new PricewaterhouseCoopers study finds that "energy-efficient technology for batteries, grids and power storage will draw more interest from companies and investors in 2011".

Still, the study seems to believe that the recovery in the green energy sector is recovering "slowly."

More on green investing.

And now solar meters

A shade of green in Century City

Stopped to grab a cup of coffee, and when I fed the meter I realized it was solar-powered. Pretty cool.

Solar power products at Best Buy

Full-sized solar panels

Stopped by Best Buy and couldn't believe the selection of solar products available.

I wonder if this stuff is selling.

Luxury IQ: The Aston Martin Cygnet

In the next Bond movie?

Aston Martin is preparing to offer the Toyota iQ based Cygnet city car to current Aston Martin owners in Europe. Early reports indicate that the Cygnet will come with a standard 1.3- liter, inline 4-cylinder engine, but some more luxurious interior accommodations.

Can the Big 3's new small cars sell in the US?

Small is the new cool?

At the LA Auto Show this year, US automakers showcased a number of new small cars, trending away from their over-dependence upon large, gas-guzzling vehicles along the way to increased CAFE requirements.

But will they sell? Is this the kind of car the US auto consumer wants, especially from the Big 3, whom collectively have a pretty shoddy record of selling small cars?

“Our research shows that, despite what the U.S. government is telling us, few Americans want to downsize to smaller cars,” says George Peterson, president of the Los Angeles-based consulting firm AutoPacific, “Finding more buyers inclined to purchase smaller cars will not be easy.”

President Obama continues push "cash for caulking"

The efficiency President

The President is continuing his push for a new stimulus plan based around energy efficiency dubbed, "cash for caulking".

"The simple act of retrofitting these buildings to make them more energy efficient — installing new windows and doors, insulation, roofing, sealing leaks, modernizing heating and cooling equipment — is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest things we can do to put Americans back to work while saving families money and reducing harmful emissions," President Obama said at a Home Depot today.

Pike: 17 million natural gas vehicles by 2015

A Honda natural gas Civic

A new report by Pike Research claims that more than 17 million natural gas vehicles will be on the roads of the world by 2015.

Will the US get in the natural gas vehicle game? Or is the battery the only way forward for US policy?

More important, since natural gas vehicles can also be hybrid vehicles, or even plug-in hybrid vehicles, why not take natural gas more seriously since it is cleaner than petroleum and it can come from domestic sources?

Do it yourself solar power at Lowes

Install it yourself and save thousands

So, you're a pretty smart guy or gal. Even better, you're handy with tools, and you can even change an electrical outlet box.

Heck, why not install your own solar array?

Lowes stores in California, and soon the rest of the nation, will offer solar supplies for those seeking to add a solar array to their home.

More important, Lowes will also provide information on how to apply for permits and tax credits - probably the most important aspect of any solar power installation.

Can plastic be green?

Can something bad be turned into something good?

This morning President Obama announced his desire for a 'cash for caulking' program. Essentially, the President is trying to create incentives for home owners to weatherize their homes.

Thus, the Plastics Make it Possible SM campaign sent me some info on how plastics can help increase energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. According to Plastics Make it Possible plastics have 3 offerings:

• Insulation: From rigid polystyrene foam insulation panels (expanded or extruded) that can help homeowners save hundreds of dollars each year on heating and cooling bills, to plastic wrap that can reduce infiltration of outside air by 10-50 percent, plastic can help drastically reduce the energy required to heat or cool homes.
• Composite Lumber: Lumber made from recycled plastics and plastic-wood composites can outlast traditional materials and requires less maintenance. Composite lumber is resistant to weathering, requiring less material to be used over time, which saves energy. It is also eco-friendly as much of the lumber is made from recycled materials and/or can be recycled.
  
• Piping: Using cross-linked polyethylene piping (called PEX), which is lighter and more flexible than other materials, allows for multiple feed lines throughout a house, which allows hot water to arrive faster to a sink or shower which can significantly save water.

No doubt these plastic offerings are noteworthy, but do these offerings offset the negative impact of plastics on the environment? Can plastic recycling make plastic sustainable, or should plastic-alternatives be the real focus?

Maybe cellulosic ethanol is for real?

But corn cob as feed?

Just finished an interesting piece on POET's advances in cellulosic ethanol. In a nutshell production costs have dropped from $4.13 to $2.35, but POET believes they can be further reduced to $2.00 per gallon when commercial production begins.

That's not bad compared to today's gasoline prices. Still, how much feedstock is available for such an application when it is still very corn-intensive? If corn demand goes up, won't these prices eventually go up?

Cadillac Converj should help Chevy Volt

Ready to plug in this Cadillac?

I'm a fan of the Chevy Volt, a pretty big fan actually - at least in the technology powering the Volt. Yet, in the next decade Toyota will sell millions of hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius, as GM sells hundreds of thousands of Volts.

Finish: Converj should help help Chevy Volt

Remove your Prius floor mats?

Time to remove your Prius floor mats?

Do Toyota vehicles have an acceleration problem? Currently, there isn't any evidence that a deeper mechanical problem exists in any Toyota vehicles in terms of sudden acceleration.

However, both Toyota and the NHTSA agree that removing the floor mats is a good idea until this issue is further resolved.

Nonetheless, this issue does not apply to the current 2010 Prius, but only second generation Prius hybrids from 2004 - 2009.

Mining into green investments

All about rare earth metals

Toyota is facing a potential shortage of rare metals that could limit production of hybrid cars according many news stories recently. As it turns it out, China is hording natural resources, rare earth metals in this instance, it deems important to long term viability. Likewise, there are hints that exports could be severely limited into the future, even the very near future.

Currently, China accounts for 97 percent of the world's supply of rare earth metals.

Fortunately, however, there are companies and mines in the US capable of a significant uptick in rare earth metal mining. Unfortunately, there aren't any rare earth metal refineries or processors in the entire United States according to CNBC reporting.

Yet, the importance of these these rare earth metals isn't limited to hybrid cars and other electric vehicles. In fact much of the new economy, the green economy, will be dependent upon these rare earth metals if the green revolution is to happen.

Nonetheless, the mining could be the easy part, as a few companies, such MolyCorp, already exist, but the rare earth metal refineries are the issue that really piques my interest.

What do you think? Could rare earth metal refining be a good area to investigate for some green investment trades?

Wind power an over-blown investment?

Has wind lost its power?

Earlier this morning CNBC was covering unemployment by region. While the Midwest has been hit hard, North Dakota has been a bright spot with under 5 percent unemployment.

Aside from a strong labor market, the one sector getting hit hard - a sector that North Dakota has invested into heavily - was the wind industry, a sector where job losses are increasing.

Camry hybrid more important than the Prius?

Is the Camry hybrid the ultimate barometer?

Toyota is now ramping up its lobbying efforts in Japan hoping to extend tax credits for environmentally-friendly cars, particularly hybrid cars, for another two years. Thus far these credits have pushed the Toyota Prius to the top of the sales list in Japan. Yet, what would Prius sales be without these tax credits?

Finish: Camry hybrid more important than the Prius?

Auris hybrid more advanced thant the Prius?

Better than the Prius?

At the Frankfurt Auto Show there will be a good bit of hype around Toyota's plug-in Prius. However, there might be even more hype around the new Auris hybrid vehicle.

Finish: Auris hybrid more advanced thant the Prius?